1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to fasteners, and more particularly to a fastener to prevent zippers in a body bag from tearing, and the method of making such a fastener.
2. Description of Related Art
Body bags are well known for use in transporting dead bodies from one location to another. Such body bags are required by law in many jurisdictions, to prevent contamination or spread of diseases by fluids and/or gasses coming from a dead body. Such body bags come in various sizes, depending on the size and/or shape of the body to be transported, and include a zipper closure on the top thereof, which is opened to place the body within the bag, and then closed to seal the body completely therein.
Because of the varying sizes and shapes of the human body, and the different distributions of weight of a body contained in a body bag during transport in a vehicle or by other means, especially when disturbed, jarred, or jolted, the body within the bag may shift. In many instances, such movements have been known to tear or rupture the bag at one or both ends of the zipper closure and body fluids may leak out or the body may actually fall out. Therefore, to meet the requirements of law, and to better safeguard the public from a body in a bag whereby no body fluids will inadvertently exit from the bag in an unwanted area, there exists a need in the art for means to insure that the zipper closure will not rupture or tear at either end during handling or opening of the zipper closure when a body is to be inserted therein. If the zipper closure tears at the time of handling, a new bag must be used, if available, or the risk of contamination is significantly increased.
It is known to reinforce the ends of regular zipper fasteners by sewing, or placing flaps thereover. While these limited improvements overcome some of the problems encountered when handling other types of bags, such known means are limited to specific applications, and are not strong enough to be applied to zipper closures in body bags. Therefore, the present invention provides an improved and reliable means or system for strengthening the ends of a zipper closure in a body bag, where they are most vulnerable to rupturing or tearing, when being opened in a hurry, or if turned inside out, or otherwise mishandled during opening for the loading of a body therein.